NY Elvis impersonator allegedly killed after being chloroformed during sexual encounter

Steve Janoski
·3 min read
An Elvis impersonator died when a retired chiropractor chloroformed him too may times, reports said.
An Elvis impersonator died when a retired chiropractor chloroformed him too may times, reports said.

A retired chiropractor from upstate New York allegedly killed an Elvis impersonator by chloroforming him during a sexual encounter.

Ronald G. Rayher, 69, bound and restrained the impersonator Thomas Krider, 40, on April 5 before dosing him with the dangerous, heavily-regulated anesthetic chloroform “more than one time,” according to court documents cited by the Times Union.

Four days later, Rayher, of Milton, allegedly strode into the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office to report a dead man in the basement of his home on Middle Line Road, according to Undersheriff Jeffrey Brown.

Thomas Krider, an Elvis impersonator from Ticonderoga, New York, died during a sexual encounter from being chloroformed too many times, according to court documents . Facebook/TJ Greene
Thomas Krider, an Elvis impersonator from Ticonderoga, New York, died during a sexual encounter from being chloroformed too many times, according to court documents . Facebook/TJ Greene
Ronald G. Rayher of Milton has been charged with manslaughter over Krider’s death. Saratoga County Sheriff
Ronald G. Rayher of Milton has been charged with manslaughter over Krider’s death. Saratoga County Sheriff

Authorities hit him with charges of second-degree manslaughter and evidence tampering for allegedly removing Krider’s personal things from the crime scene, the Times Union said.

Sheriff’s deputies were trying to figure out where Rayher got the chloroform.

The retiree and Krider — who worked under the stage name TJ Greene — had known each other for many years, and both the sexual encounter and the chloroform use appeared to be consensual, the undersheriff said.

Krider, of Ticonderoga, had been missing since Friday, which is when his wife of 16 years, Heidi Greene, last spoke to him, according to the Times Union.

Greene, 42, had reported him missing on Saturday morning, Ticonderoga police told the newspaper.

Friends had been trying to spread word of his disappearance on social media.

Krider was also a “Star Trek” superfan with ties to the Star Trek Tour in Ticonderoga, which includes recreated sets of the USS Enterprise’s bridge, the Times Union said.

Krider was remembered as an innocent, trusting soul who made friends easily. Facebook/TJ Greene
Krider was remembered as an innocent, trusting soul who made friends easily. Facebook/TJ Greene

“He was a sci-fi geek and nerd,” Greene said. “He was into so many things. … He even got a (tattoo) sleeve on his arm of just He-Man and She-Ra characters.”

Krider had just started working as a guide at the Star Trek tour late last year, his close friend James Cawley said.

“We were all looking forward to the summer season and the fun things we had planned,” Cawley told the Times Union.

Krider also loved Star Trek, and worked as a tour guide at a local show-based attraction. Facebook/TJ Greene
Krider also loved Star Trek, and worked as a tour guide at a local show-based attraction. Facebook/TJ Greene

But both Greene and Cawley added that they were scared that his innocent, trusting nature would put him in harm’s way when Krider left Friday to pick up a free box spring from a person in return for moving some furniture, the Times Union said.

“He was always so trusting that, even if he met someone one time, they were a friend,” said Greene said.

“He was my whole world, my heart, my soul,” she continued. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without him.”

Rayher was arraigned and ordered held at the Saratoga County Jail on $250,000 bail, according to CBS 6 Albany.

His next court date is May 21.